For your final projects, each of you must choose one person or event to erase from history and then argue in writing and to your classmates why you believe that erasing that particular person or event would have the greatest impact on the present world.

Written Report (200 pts - 20%)
This should at least 1500 words or 5 - 7 pages of double-spaced typewritten text. In addition to giving the reader a thorough understanding of who or what it is that you have erased and what its impact actually is on recorded history, you must also outline in detail the consequences of erasing your choice. The following topics MUST be addressed as they apply to the EFFECTS, both immediate and long term, both local and worldwide, of your choice. Please feel free to explore any other topics you deem necessary to justify your choice as being the person or event you feel had the biggest impact on the world from 1500 CE onward. You definitely have creative license here, your details need only be plausible and historically explainable.

· Geo-Politically: Would your choice possibly change at all how the world is divided geo-politically? If so how and why?

· Sociologically: Be sure to give a detailed account of the socio-geographical importance of erasing what you choose. How are regular people in the area where your erased person or event occurs affected by his/her or its absence? What about people around the world?

· Politically: Does your choice affect world and local political structure? How and why? Be sure to address both contemporary and future consequences.

· Ideologically: Does your choice affect any ideological movements? Social movements? Would any of them possibly have arisen even with the erasing of your person/event? If so when and how?

· Technologically: Would your choice affect the development, application, or spread of technology in any way? If so how?

· Economically: How would your choice affect the economic standing of the area where it happens? The economic balance of power in the world?

· Power Struggle: Much of history is a struggle for power. Would your choice affect the complex balance of power that history has written so far?

Although much of the report will be your opinion, you must reference AT LEAST TWO OUTSIDE SOURCES to be sure that you are basing your opinion on actual historical possibilities. This written report serves as your Final Exam and should be turned in preferably during your oral presentation but no later than the date scheduled for our class's final exam (to be announced).

Oral Report (100 pts - 10%)
Erasing an event or person from history will make the world a very different place. In your oral presentation, you must pretend to be someone living in the year 2010 in an area greatly impacted by the absence of the event/person you choose. You should explain to the class what your life looks like today. The class will ask you questions to try and determine what event/person you erased, and you must be prepared to answer them thoughtfully. Points will also be given for participating actively in figuring out what your classmates chose.

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